Holding Up The Universe

Okay, so like with all authors, I have to read ALL of their books. It’s like, I am IN this book relationship for life. So after reading her first book ‘All The Bright Places’, so I had high hopes for this one.
I’m so glad I did.

Holding Up The Universe is about a girl named Libby Stout, who was known to everyone as “America’s Fattest Teen”, tries to escape her title as she goes back to school for the first time in many years.

Jack Masselin is a popular guy, with a secret. A secret that even his own family doesn’t know. He can’t recognize faces. He can do everything any other guy can,he has his swagger, a girlfriend, parents (who are falling apart) and brothers. What’s his secret? Don’t let anyone get close.When they get close, bad things happen.

He’s [Jack] become so engrossed in trying to be normal, that he stops being able to even see himself.

I think Jack is a character I relate to, because when you are trying so hard to be normal, you stop seeing faces, you stop seeing you. You’re just going through the motions, you’re not LIVING. And that becomes tiring. While we all may be able to see faces, we have to ask ourselves if we truly see each other. Not color, not race, not gender. See each other.
I may have made the story waaay deeper than it was, but in a way, it was a truly deep story.
I give this book a 90-100%
Below is the first four chapters from [Jennifer Niven’s] book, Holding Up The Universe, out October 4th: